


Faith in Reason

by laurentdevere



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: (the sylvain/felix is VERY subtle), M!Byleth - Freeform, M/M, Minor Character Death, spoilers up to chapter 17!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21698416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laurentdevere/pseuds/laurentdevere
Summary: Sylvain has a theory. What if all Dimitri needs to go back to his old self is the love he once craved so desperately? So he makes it his mission to help Byleth and Dimitri fall in love all over again.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 159





	Faith in Reason

**Author's Note:**

> thank you @zukohere for being my beta reader i love you queen

Sylvain remembers being utterly clueless as to why Dimitri had never had a girlfriend. He was a handsome, intelligent young lad, with a shiny crown posted on top of his pretty head. Of course every girl at Garreg Mach had eyes only for him, at Sylvain’s detriment. What wouldn’t Sylvain do to be in the Prince’s shoes for a mere day, with hundreds of girls at his heels, with their beet red faces and glowing eyes. Yet Dimitri would barely glance at them. It took months for Sylvain to finally understand the reasoning behind Dimitri’s maddening act. He didn’t look at girls, but he sure was looking at someone. And not just anyone; his own professor. It was horribly comical, really. What a scandal, to have the heir to the throne find himself enamoured with his teacher. 

Of course, the first thing he did upon his shocking discovery was tell Felix. And of course, Felix laughed, and Sylvain couldn’t help but join him. “Oh, the poor boar,” he had said. “Truly pathetic, isn’t he?” 

But years had passed, and everything had become rather tragic. Byleth disappeared, Dimitri had died under the blade of his own Kingdom. The continent was being ravaged by war, and Sylvain stopped thinking about the simple things that once made his life so much brighter. Sometimes when he’d meet with Felix, they would joke about the good old days around a cup of tea, but the subject of Dimitri’s scandalous romantic affiliation wasn’t met with laughter anymore. 

Then, after 5 years of mourning the death of Byleth and Dimitri, Sylvain saw them again. They were flaunting around the battlefield just as they used to. But Dimitri wasn’t that innocent, gold-hearted boy he grew up to love anymore. He had become a blood-thirsty monster, a soul darkened with the ghosts of his past. At first, Sylvain was angry. The man who was supposed to save them was back, resurrected from his ashes. But he had succumbed to darkness, and had given up on his Kingdom, on his friends. But his hatred soon grew into sorrow. He missed the Dimitri he once called a friend, he missed his smile and his stupid puppy face. 

As weeks went by, Sylvain’s emotions had only come to grow stronger even. The Monastery was now a befouled scene, and Dimitri was at the heart of it all. And nothing was as heart-rending, Sylvain found, as seeing Byleth so desperate. A man he had come to admire, a man he knew as strong and undefeatable, had become nothing but a longing, weeping figure. 

Sometimes Sylvain would walk by the church. And every time he’d see Dimitri’s ghosty silhouette crawled before shatters, growls echoing in the silent room. And sometimes he’d see Byleth, sitting next to him. The professor would talk to him, only for his voice to be met with nothing but silence. 

Sylvain couldn’t help but notice how Byleth’s hands would always linger around the Prince, without ever touching him. Around the war table, during tactical meetings, Byleth would always look at the empty chair next to his, with sorrowful eyes and a broken heart. He had insisted that nobody but Dimitri was to use it. But Dimitri never came. Yet the chair stayed vacant. Sometimes, during dinner, he’d notice Byleth leave the room with two plates. He knew without a doubt that he was walking toward the Church, just to make sure Dimitri wouldn’t go to bed with an empty stomach. And even with all these attentions, the only words the prince would address Byleth with were horrible sentiments, violent propositions. Yet Byleth would still bring him meals, would still sit next to him, would still linger for his touch. 

It reminded Sylvain of a younger Dimitri, always in his professor’s shadow like a puppy craving his master’s attention. Five years later, Byleth had become the same puppy. But while young Dimitri had eyes filled with glowing admiration, Byleth’s eyes were filled with pure agony. 

Sometimes, Sylvain would notice Dimitri, too. For a moment, with Byleth so near, he seemed to snap out of his feral ways to catch a glimpse of Byleth’s face. Sometimes, with Byleth’s hand so close to his own, he would soften. And during those moments, Sylvain would finally recognize him. The Dimitri he was proud to call his leader, the Dimitri he once loved and respected. And so, Sylvain understood. All Dimitri needed was the love he had always craved. And of course, it was Sylvain’s duty, as a citizen of the Kingdom of Faerghus, to help his King find peace again. 

*** 

Sylvain and Byleth would sometimes go for a cup of tea. It was an old tradition that most students at Garregg Mach had the chance to partake in. But as of late, their private tea parties had become quite grime. And Sylvain was not one for such devastating emotions. Anyhow, every time Byleth would come to him with such an offer, Sylvain accepted without a second of hesitation. Because as depressing and lifeless as Byleth had become, he was still fond of his professor, with the same love and respect you’d have for a big brother. 

So when Byleth invited Sylvain over for tea, he accepted with a most truthful smile. And with a warm cup filled with camomile, Sylvain decided it was time to unfold his genius plan. 

“So,” he started. “Isn’t it hard to see Dimitri in such a state?” 

He noticed how Byleth’s face dropped at the mere mention of the Prince. 

“He’s not the monster he says he is,” continued Sylvain. “He’s a real bitch, sure. But I think he’s broken, and he doesn’t think he can put the pieces back together. But I know Dimitri, and I know he can. Maybe he just needs a little help.” He glanced at Byleth, only to catch, surprisingly, a smile on his face. 

“I’ve tried it, believe me,” Byleth said, with a voice so helpless it was truly painful to hear. “I’ve tried everything. But he doesn’t change. He won’t even talk to me. But I’m not giving up.” 

“Haven’t you noticed, though, how he softens around you?” It was Byleth’s turn to look at Sylvain with disbelief. “When you’re with him, sometimes I catch him with a look on his face… A glimpse of what he used to be like. Of the Dimitri we know. If someone can bring him back, I know it’s you.” Byleth stayed silent, sipping his tea. After polite goodbyes, Sylvain left his professor to his contemplation. He doubted any of it had helped, yet he couldn’t help but smile. 

Time passed, and more blood was spilled. Blood of old classmates, blood of people he used to call friends. But the most saddening of it all was the blood of his best friend’s father. Felix hadn’t shed a tear, but Sylvain knew him well enough to know the pain he was trying so hard to hide. As Felix was holding the lifeless body of his Father, still warm with life, Sylvain put a hand on his shoulder. And far away, he caught the sight of a dark silhouette kneeling in the mud. A silhouette with blond locks, heavy with rain. Dimitri. Their King, their last hope, shattered on the sludgy ground. But he was not alone. His shaking body, barely discernible under the evening mist, was wrapped under armoured arms. These arms couldn’t be anyone’s but Byleth’s, Sylvain thought. He was the only one who could hold Dimitri with such love, such care. 

The army returned to Garegg Mack to bury Rodrigue. Sylvain kept his hand on Felix’s shoulder, and tried his best to consume his friend’s pain for him. And he noticed, when everyone was gathered around Rodrigue’s grave tomb, that neither Dimitri nor Byleth were present. 

The next morning, just as every other morning for the past months, Sylvain left his room to walk toward the audience chamber. And while leaving his chambers, he ran into Byleth. He was glowing, with a rare smile on his face. And by knowing the usual cold and lifeless stand of his professor, Sylvain knew something grand had happened. And he himself couldn’t help but smile. Only later did he remember Byleth’s room was downstairs. 

Sylvain arrived to the meeting quite early and sat next to Felix. To anyone’s eyes Felix must have looked as unbothered as usual. But Sylvain knew him best. He knew how the subtle darkness in his eyes meant something far greater. So he offered him a compassionate smile and the warmness of his hand, as he placed it on top of his. 

He moved his glance away from Felix only to have his heart stop at the sight of Dimitri. The usually empty chair next to Byleth’s was finally occupied. And Sylvain cracked a smile when he noticed the way Dimitri looked at Byleth, and the way Byleth looked at him. He was back, Sylvain thought. Both of them were. 

When no chair was left empty, Dimitri stood up. And so did everyone, following the lead of their King. They all knew, by the lightness of his gaze, by the brightness of his smile, that Dimitri was back. To convince the doubtful, he looked at them all straight in the eyes, one by one. Those people he used to call his comrades, his friends. And he apologized. For the whole duration of Dimitri’s speech, Byleth was smiling with such glow, such pride. And to everyone’s surprise -everyone’s but Sylvain- Byleth reached for Dimitri’s hand. They looked at each other with so much love it filled the room completely, warmed everyone’s heart. Their King was back, they were going to take the Capital, and they might finally have a chance to win the war. 

Once the meeting was over, once everyone was leaving but Dimitri and Byleth, Sylvain glanced at them. His professor was holding Dimitri tightly, as if he was scared to live without his embrace. And Dimitri has his head on Byleth’s, with tenderness he had yet seen the Prince display. _Finally_ , thought Sylvain. Finally, both of them, alive again. All they needed, as Sylvain had concluded long ago, was each other’s love. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank u sm for reading!!! i hope u enjoyed it!!!! follow me on twitter @newvegas_ for quality fe3h content


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